A senior Hamas official was quoted as saying on Tuesday that the Palestinian movement decided to stop the prisoner swap talks with Israel indefinitely, in response to last month's assassination of its prominent military leader Mahmoud Mabhouh in Dubai. According to Okaz newspaper, the official conveyed that the talks are stalled, blaming Israel for the failure to complete the deal so far.
The Hamas official added that Mabhouh's assassination aimed at weakening Hamas' position regarding the prisoner exchange deal, stressing the involvement of the Israeli "Mossad" in the assassination.
Meanwhile, the Israeli police said Monday evening that two explosives were located off Ashkelon and Ashdod shorelines. The police and explosives experts closed the shores for the day. Israeli Ynet News reported that according to a senior Palestinian source the two explosives were meant to target an oil platform or Israeli navy ships.
Israel decided to boost its security presence on all beaches.
